Ican’trememberallandIthinkIscarcelyunderstandagreatdealofwhatIdoremember。ButitallcomesbacktomesofreshthatIcan’thelpcryingsometimestothinkIshallneverreadthemagainwithhim。“
Arthurhadneverspokenofhishomebefore，andTomhadn’tencouragedhimtodoso，ashisblunderingschoolboyreasoningmadehimthinkthatArthurwouldbesoftenedandlessmanlyforthinkingofhome。Butnowhewasfairlyinterested，andforgotallaboutchiselsandbottledbeer；whilewithverylittleencouragementArthurlaunchedintohishomehistory，andtheprayer-bellputthembothoutsadlywhenitrangtocallthemtothehall。
FromthistimeArthurconstantlyspokeofhishome，andaboveall，ofhisfather，whohadbeendeadaboutayear，andwhosememoryTomsoongottoloveandreverencealmostasmuchashisownsondid。
Arthur’sfatherhadbeentheclergymanofaparishintheMidlandcounties，whichhadrisenintoalargetownduringthewar，anduponwhichthehardyearswhichfollowedhadfallenwithfearfulweight。Thetradehadbeenhalfruined；andthencametheold，sadstory，ofmastersreducingtheirestablishments，menturnedoffandwanderingabout，hungryandwaninbody，andfierceinsoul，fromthethoughtofwivesandchildrenstarvingathome，andthelaststicksoffurnituregoingtothepawnshop；childrentakenfromschool，andloungingaboutthedirtystreetsandcourts，toolistlessalmosttoplay，andsqualidinragsandmisery；andthenthefearfulstrugglebetweentheemployersandmen——loweringsofwages，strikes，andthelongcourseofoft-repeatedcrime，endingeverynowandthenwithariot，afire，andthecountyyeomanry。Thereisnoneedheretodwelluponsuchtales:theEnglishmanintowhosesoultheyhavenotsunkdeepisnotworthythename。YouEnglishboys，forwhomthisbookismeantGodblessyourbrightfacesandkindhearts！，willlearnitallsoonenough。
IntosuchaparishandstateofsocietyArthur’sfatherhadbeenthrownattheageoftwenty-five——ayoungmarriedparson，fulloffaith，hope，andlove。Hehadbattledwithitlikeaman，andhadlotsoffineUtopianideasabouttheperfectibilityofmankind，glorioushumanity，andsuch-like，knockedoutofhishead，andareal，wholesomeChristianloveforthepoor，struggling，sinningmen，ofwhomhefelthimselfone，andwithandforwhomhespentfortune，andstrength，andlife，drivenintohisheart。Hehadbattledlikeaman，andgottenaman’sreward——nosilvertea-potsorsalvers，withfloweryinscriptionssettingforthhisvirtuesandtheappreciationofagenteelparish；nofatlivingorstall，forwhichheneverlooked，anddidn’tcare；nosighsandpraisesofcomfortabledowagersandwell-got-upyoungwomen，whoworkedhimslippers，sugaredhistea，andadoredhimas“adevotedman；“butamanlyrespect，wrungfromtheunwillingsoulsofmenwhofanciedhisordertheirnaturalenemies；thefearandhatredofeveryonewhowasfalseorunjustinthedistrict，werehemasterorman；
andtheblessedsightofwomenandchildrendailybecomingmorehumanandmorehomely，acomforttothemselvesandtotheirhusbandsandfathers。
Thesethings，ofcourse，tooktime，andhadtobefoughtforwithtoilandsweatofbrainandheart，andwiththelife-bloodpouredout。Allthat，Arthurhadlaidhisaccounttogive，andtookasamatterofcourse，neitherpityinghimself，norlookingonhimselfasamartyr，whenhefeltthewearandtearmakinghimfeeloldbeforehistime，andthestiflingairoffever-denstellingonhishealth。Hiswifesecondedhimineverything。
Shehadbeenratherfondofsociety，andmuchadmiredandrunafterbeforehermarriage；andtheLondonworldtowhichshehadbelongedpitiedpoorFannyEvelynwhenshemarriedtheyoungclergyman，andwenttosettleinthatsmokyholeTurley；averynestofChartismandAtheism，inapartofthecountrywhichallthedecentfamilieshadhadtoleaveforyears。However，somehoworothershedidn’tseemtocare。Ifherhusband’slivinghadbeenamongstgreenfieldsandnearpleasantneighboursshewouldhavelikeditbetter——thatsheneverpretendedtodeny。Buttheretheywere。Theairwasn’tbad，afterall；thepeoplewereverygoodsortofpeople——civiltoyouifyouwereciviltothem，afterthefirstbrush；andtheydidn’texpecttoworkmiracles，andconvertthemalloff-handintomodelChristians。Soheandshewentquietlyamongthefolk，talkingtoandtreatingthemjustastheywouldhavedonepeopleoftheirownrank。Theydidn’tfeelthattheyweredoinganythingoutofthecommonway，andsowereperfectlynatural，andhadnoneofthatcondescensionorconsciousnessofmannerwhichsooutragestheindependentpoor。Andthustheygraduallywonrespectandconfidence；andaftersixteenyearshewaslookeduptobythewholeneighbourhoodasthejustman，themantowhommastersandmencouldgointheirstrikes，andinalltheirquarrelsanddifficulties，andbywhomtherightandtruewordwouldbesaidwithoutfearorfavour。Andthewomenhadcomeroundtotakeheradvice，andgotoherasafriendinalltheirtroubles；whilethechildrenallworshippedtheverygroundshetrodon。
Theyhadthreechildren，twodaughtersandason，littleArthur，whocamebetweenhissisters。Hehadbeenaverydelicateboyfromhischildhood；theythoughthehadatendencytoconsumption，andsohehadbeenkeptathomeandtaughtbyhisfather，whohadmadeacompanionofhim，andfromwhomhehadgainedgoodscholarship，andaknowledgeofandinterestinmanysubjectswhichboysingeneralnevercomeacrosstilltheyaremanyyearsolder。
Justashereachedhisthirteenthyear，andhisfatherhadsettledthathewasstrongenoughtogotoschool，and，aftermuchdebatingwithhimself，hadresolvedtosendhimthere，adesperatetyphusfeverbrokeoutinthetown。Mostoftheotherclergy，andalmostallthedoctors，ranaway；theworkfellwithtenfoldweightonthosewhostoodtotheirwork。Arthurandhiswifebothcaughtthefever，ofwhichhediedinafewdays；andsherecovered，havingbeenabletonursehimtotheend，andstoreuphislastwords。Hewassensibletothelast，andcalmandhappy，leavinghiswifeandchildrenwithfearlesstrustforafewyearsinthehandsoftheLordandFriendwhohadlivedanddiedforhim，andforwhomhe，tothebestofhispower，hadlivedanddied。Hiswidow’smourningwasdeepandgentle。Shewasmoreaffectedbytherequestofthecommitteeofafreethinkingclub，establishedinthetownbysomeofthefactoryhandswhichhehadstrivenagainstwithmightandmain，andnearlysuppressed，thatsomeoftheirnumbermightbeallowedtohelpbearthecoffin，thanbyanythingelse。Twoofthemwerechosen，who，withsixotherlabouringmen，hisownfellow-workmenandfriends，borehimtohisgrave——amanwhohadfoughttheLord’sfightevenuntothedeath。Theshopswereclosedandthefactoriesshutthatdayintheparish，yetnomasterstoppedtheday’swages；butformanyayearafterwardsthetownsfolkfeltthewantofthatbrave，hopeful，lovingparsonandhiswife，whohadlivedtoteachthemmutualforbearanceandhelpfulness，andhadalmostatlastgiventhemaglimpseofwhatthisoldworldwouldbeifpeoplewouldliveforGodandeachotherinsteadofforthemselves。
Whathasallthistodowithourstory？Well，mydearboys，letafellowgoonhisownway，oryouwon’tgetanythingoutofhimworthhaving。ImustshowyouwhatsortofamanitwaswhohadbegottenandtrainedlittleArthur，orelseyouwon’tbelieveinhim，whichIamresolvedyoushalldo；andyouwon’tseehowhe，thetimid，weakboy，hadpointsinhimfromwhichthebravestandstrongestrecoiled，andmadehispresenceandexamplefeltfromthefirstonallsides，unconsciouslytohimself，andwithouttheleastattemptatproselytizing。Thespiritofhisfatherwasinhim，andtheFriendtowhomhisfatherhadlefthimdidnotneglectthetrust。
Aftersupperthatnight，andalmostnightlyforyearsafterwards，TomandArthur，andbydegreesEastoccasionally，andsometimesone，sometimesanother，oftheirfriends，readachapteroftheBibletogether，andtalkeditoverafterwards。
Tomwasatfirstutterlyastonished，andalmostshocked，atthesortofwayinwhichArthurreadthebookandtalkedaboutthemenandwomenwhoselivesweretheretold。ThefirstnighttheyhappenedtofallonthechaptersaboutthefamineinEgypt，andArthurbegantalkingaboutJosephasifhewerealivingstatesman——justashemighthavetalkedaboutLordGreyandtheReformBill，onlythattheyweremuchmorelivingrealitiestohim。Thebookwastohim，Tomsaw，themostvividanddelightfulhistoryofrealpeople，whomightdorightorwrong，justlikeanyonewhowaswalkingaboutinRugby——theDoctor，orthemasters，orthesixth-formboys。Buttheastonishmentsoonpassedoff，thescalesseemedtodropfromhiseyes，andthebookbecameatonceandforevertohimthegreathumananddivinebook，andthemenandwomen，whomhehadlookeduponassomethingquitedifferentfromhimself，becamehisfriendsandcounsellors。
Forourpurposes，however，thehistoryofonenight’sreadingwillbesufficient，whichmustbetoldhere，nowweareonthesubject，thoughitdidn’thappentillayearafterwards，andlongaftertheeventsrecordedinthenextchapterofourstory。
Arthur，Tom，andEastweretogetheronenight，andreadthestoryofNaamancomingtoElishatobecuredofhisleprosy。
Whenthechapterwasfinished，TomshuthisBiblewithaslap。
“Ican’tstandthatfellowNaaman，“saidhe，“afterwhathe’dseenandfelt，goingbackandbowinghimselfdowninthehouseofRimmon，becausehiseffeminatescoundrelofamasterdidit。
IwonderElishatookthetroubletohealhim。Howhemusthavedespisedhim！“
“Yes；thereyougooffasusual，withashellonyourhead，“
struckinEast，whoalwaystooktheoppositesidetoTom，halffromloveofargument，halffromconviction。“Howdoyouknowhedidn’tthinkbetterofit？Howdoyouknowhismasterwasascoundrel？Hisletterdon’tlooklikeit，andthebookdon’tsayso。“
“Idon’tcare，“rejoinedTom；“whydidNaamantalkaboutbowingdown，then，ifhedidn’tmeantodoit？Hewasn’tlikelytogetmoreinearnestwhenhegotbacktocourt，andawayfromtheprophet。“
“Well，but，Tom，“saidArthur，“lookwhatElishasaystohim——
’Goinpeace。’Hewouldn’thavesaidthatifNaamanhadbeeninthewrong。“
“Idon’tseethatthatmeansmorethansaying，’You’renotthemanItookyoufor。’“
“No，no；thatwon’tdoatall，“saidEast。“Readthewordsfairly，andtakemenasyoufindthem。IlikeNaaman，andthinkhewasaveryfinefellow。“
“Idon’t，“saidTompositively。
“Well，IthinkEastisright，“saidArthur；“Ican’tseebutwhatit’srighttodothebestyoucan，thoughitmayn’tbethebestabsolutely。Everymanisn’tborntobeamartyr。“
“Ofcourse，ofcourse，“saidEast；“buthe’sononeofhispethobbies——HowoftenhaveItoldyou，Tom，thatyoumustdriveanailwhereit’llgo。“
“AndhowoftenhaveItoldyou，“rejoinedTom，“thatit’llalwaysgowhereyouwant，ifyouonlysticktoitandhithardenough。Ihatehalf-measuresandcompromises。“
“Yes，he’sawhole-hogman，isTom。Musthavethewholeanimal-
hairandteeth，clawsandtail，“laughedEast。“Soonerhavenobreadanydaythanhalftheloaf。“
“Idon’tknow；“saidArthur——“it’sratherpuzzling；butain’tmostrightthingsgotbypropercompromises——Imeanwheretheprincipleisn’tgivenup？“